Austin Main Mr. Borges Philosophy of Ethics February 20, 2012 Report on Book II of The Republic by Plato In Book II of Plato’s The Republic, the Socrates points out the way he sees fit in the concepts of justice. He believes solely that he is correct and no longer wants to make due of the discussion, but Glaucon explains his theories about the three classes of levels of goodness. The first level of goodness, being those things we only find good in their consequences. These things could be studying, investing in stock markets, mowing the lawn, or impregnating your wife. The second level of goodness consists of those things that we find pleasure in themselves.
Kumar Bhattacharyya The Paradox of the Philosopher-King In this paper I shall delve into Plato’s The Republic and analyze his Just state, with particular interest in his assertion that the most ideal ruler would be a ‘Philosopher-King’. Plato hints at the impossibility of this Philosopher-King, yet sets strong arguments as to why a Philosopher King is the most appropriate ruler. He does this through his definitions of what it means to be a ‘Just’ state, and how a philosopher best embodies those qualities that would maintain the Justice, and prevent any Injustice from seeping in. Plato also supports his assertion through his epistemology and metaphysics, which serve to further strengthen his argument. I will begin by recounting the demographic structures that are present in Plato’s “Just” state, and by exploring his epistemological and metaphysical claims, highlight the impossibility of such a ruler.
This is shown because he wants the philosophers to know that when they help one of the people that are in the “cave” they will be able to break those chains and leave the cave. Then they could come back and help the others that are in the cave to break their chains that keep them from being enlightened as well. The other rhetorical device that Plato uses in the piece is the actual allegory. Using an allegory to describe the enlightenment process helps him show to the other philosophers what happens when they help the unenlightened. By helping the unenlightened they will help improve society as a whole and bring it to a point where everyone is enlightened and the leaders of the society will actually want to know about education and knowledge instead of luxuries and
Aquinas considered that by using our reason to reflect on our human nature we could discover our specific end purpose. Aquinas used the ideas of Aristotle and the Stoics as an underpinning for Natural Law saying- human beings have an essential rational nature given by God in order for us to live and flourish. Aristotle said even without knowledge of god, reason can discover the laws that lead to human flourishing. The Stoics said Natural Laws are universal and unchangeable and should be used to judge of particular societies. We use this is help us choose the right moral action is situations.
Exploring the logic behind these theories, both philosophers make valid points about justice when it comes to property. Locke, however, presents a more applicable rationalization in recognizing that humans have an innate right to property and that God created the world in such a fashion that society can function only with unchangeable laws. Hume bases his theory off of personality and people’s natural relationships with one another. He understands that “sexual and familial affection forms the primordial or original relationships among persons… The natural concern men have for their families and their friends demands a more limited generosity or benevolence in dealing with others” (Cohon). Our inherent desires for goods combined with a moderate scarcity of availibity prompts greed.
C10: The author uses this to show that if justice can have a positive effect in the city it can have a positive affect in citizens as well. S11:At the they talk about the sun god and the music and prophecy, Socrates at the end does find a meaning for justice and explains virtue he then talks about the city again and relating it to being justified and shows this by explaining the three kind of appetites or roles in soal. C11:The author uses this to show the meaning of justice has been found, and to explain the virtues and how justice can be in a city. S12:Socrates then at the end of the chapter and talks about an analogy he created involucrate a human who is just and the city he defines both and explains them and what they do and the functionality they consist of individually. C12: The author still uses this step to show justice in the city and all he does is compare it to an analogy between man and
Paul Starita Pol Sci 201 10/26/12 Examining Justice and Education In The Apology, Socrates defends himself in a court of law after being accused of creating new deities and corrupting the youth. In this text, we find subtle opinions and explanations about the nature of justice. The Republic is a text written by Plato, where Socrates and several of his students deeply explore justice and how an ideal society might look. Especially present in The Republic, both texts have undertones of how education ought to be and why it is so important. These two texts define justice as an important virtue that every person should learn to possess through a balanced, self-discovering education.
Every ethical theory has its own unique way on looking into issues. Utilitarian stands out the most to me because it stands for the belief that moral rules should be choices made by a society to promote the happiness of its members. Through the utilitarian view the argument could be made that these prisoners are being treated to good and not good enough. If this theory was utilized within the jail system many issues would be solved and go along with the right and not wrong. I was a Correction Officer for a few years in the city jail called Rikers Island.
We summarized Aristole's view of the justice as that 'Give the right people the appropriate treatment.' The appropriate treatment depends on people's status, property, or contribution and different conditions receive different treatments. Justice is the important principle of the city-state. Every society has its own purpose and the city-state's aim is to achieve the justice. Aristole supported that justice is the high road to democracy.
The Constitution is an adequate democratic document, when the Constitution we have in place today is the subject of that sentence. By being adequate it is meant to serve its purpose, nothing more or less, in establishing a democratic form of government that is satisfactory to the people. The Constitution proves that statement true in the fact that we do not have citizens openly revolting in the street, calling out against it. However, in some streets there are voices starting to be heard, calling into question the democracy of the document. Some cause for concerns can be found in the first writing of the Constitution (the one that will soon be thoroughly discussed) and some lay in more recent Amendments.